Illinois

Description

The state of Illinois is one of the richest areas of biodiversity in the Great Lakes basin and is home to a variety of wildlife, including many federal and state endangered species as well as a number of critical habitats and ecosystems (2).

The major metropolitan city of Chicago is located in Cook County, which is also the county with the second highest number of endangered species in Illinois (6). Dubbed the ‘Land of Lincoln’ as President Abraham Lincoln began his political career in Illinois, the state features 101 kilometres (63 miles) of Lake Michigan shoreline (1)(4). An icon of Illinois’ natural heritage, Lake Michigan provides seven million residents, or half the state’s population, with water (1).

Illinois fact file

Description

The state of Illinois is one of the richest areas of biodiversity in the Great Lakes basin and is home to a variety of wildlife, including many federal and state endangered species as well as a number of critical habitats and ecosystems (2).

The major metropolitan city of Chicago is located in Cook County, which is also the county with the second highest number of endangered species in Illinois (6). Dubbed the ‘Land of Lincoln’ as President Abraham Lincoln began his political career in Illinois, the state features 101 kilometres (63 miles) of Lake Michigan shoreline (1)(4). An icon of Illinois’ natural heritage, Lake Michigan provides seven million residents, or half the state’s population, with water (1).

Beyond Lake Michigan, Illinois boasts an array of vital habitats including 4.1 million acres of forest covering 11.3 percent of Illinois’ land, 1.2 million acres of wetlands, and 700,000 acres of open water including lakes and streams (5). Prairie and open grasslands, which once dominated the natural landscape of Illinois, have largely been converted to agricultural land (2). Out of the estimated 21 million acres of prairie that existed in the state before European settlement, less than 2,600 acres of functioning grasslands remain, marking a loss of more than 99.99 percent (2).

Many of the USA’s most emblematic species can be found in Illinois, from the country’s national icon, the statuesque bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), to the intelligent grey wolf (Canis lupus). A network of state parks and national wildlife refuges provides critical habitat for both stable and threatened Illinois species. Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge plays a particularly significant role by providing safe resting areas for migratory birds travelling the Mississippi Flyway (7).

Range

Illinois is considered to be at the heart of the Midwestern United States, and shares borders with five other states - Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana, Iowa and Wisconsin. Illinois encompasses over 142,000 square kilometres (55,000 square miles) and includes 25 different ecoregions designated by the US Environmental Protection Agency (8). Glaciers inched their way into Illinois 300,000 years ago, flattening most of the state with the exception of the southern tip and the northwest corner. The highest point is Charles Mound at 376 metres above sea level (10)(11).

Biodiversity

Plants

The forests, prairies and aquatic habitats of Illinois are home to over 2,500 plant species (14). Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge, located in southernmost Illinois, contains some of the oldest living trees east of the Mississippi River, and harbours 91 percent of Illinois’ high-quality swamp habitat (7). Leafy prairie-clover (Dalea foliosa), a highly rare and federally endangered species, exists in three locations in the United States, one of which is the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in north-eastern Illinois (16)(17).

Mammals

Currently, there are 61 mammals native to Illinois and an additional 8 species that were historically found in the state but which have been extirpated within the last 200 years, including the American bison (Bison bison)(18). Rodents such as squirrels and rats make up the largest group of mammals and range widely in size from tiny voles to the stocky woodchuck (Marmota monax)(18). The Franklin’s ground squirrel (Spermophilus franklinii), listed as threatened in Illinois, prefers grassland habitats as opposed to wooded areas like many of its relatives, and spends 90 percent of its lifetime underground (19).

Birds

The Chautauqua Refuge found in central Illinois has been designated a ‘Globally Important Bird Area’ and accepted into the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (7). Up to 50 percent of the world’s canvasback ducks (Aythya valisineria) use the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge as stopover habitat during fall migration (7). Sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis), once a common bird in Illinois, were driven from the state in the late 1890s due to the species’ very low tolerance of human disturbance. However, wetlands conservation efforts and limits on wildfowl hunting allowed the return of sandhill crane breeding populations to their historic range in Illinois almost 80 years later (20).

Reptiles and amphibians

There are 101 species of reptiles and amphibians in Illinois, 27 of which are threatened or endangered (1)(15). The largest terrestrial salamander in Illinois, the tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) is surprisingly tolerant of human disturbance, and can be found within towns and cities as long as there is access to suitable breeding ponds (15).

The alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii), the largest freshwater turtle species on Earth, was nearly driven to extinction in Illinois but has shown signs of a rebounding population with the help of state captive breeding and reintroduction programmes (21).

Invertebrates

Thousands of invertebrates can be found in every ecosystem in Illinois, from the federally endangered fat pocketbook mussel (Potamilus capax) that inhabits the state’s large rivers, to the Madonna Cave springtail (Pygmarrhopalites madonnensis), a tiny cave-dwelling invertebrate discovered in 2003 and named for the cave in which it was found (1)(15). The monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), a species with a vast habitat range and spectacular North American migration route, travels through Illinois and has been dubbed the official state insect (2).

Fish

The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge is the longest river refuge in the continental US at 420 kilometres (261 miles), and is home to 119 species of native fish (7). Invasive aquatic species, such as Asian carp, have contributed to the list of 31 threatened and endangered fish species in Illinois (1).

Threats

Despite the range of ecosystems and the diverse array of species that are found in or migrate through Illinois, there are substantial threats to the survival of Illinois’ species. Illinois is the 5th most populous state in the US, and human disturbance has had a consistent impact on environmental health (8). Land conversion for agricultural use is the largest driver of habitat loss, with over three-quarters of the state dedicated to growing crops (2). Prairies and grassland ecosystems have suffered the greatest decimation and, of the 2,600 remaining acres of prairie in Illinois, most are plots smaller than 40 acres with so few plants and animals that they are sometimes called ‘the living dead’, as they are gradually heading towards extinction (2).

The shores of Lake Michigan have experienced large-scale hydrologic modification, transforming the natural sand and rock shores for private and public use and for the construction of immense skyscrapers (1). The industrial history of Illinois has left behind a toxic legacy, with 73 federally recognised clean-up sites in the state, some of which are considered Superfund sites (12). Adding to industrial toxicity is the widespread use of insecticides for both private lawn care and agricultural use (2).

Recreation along the shoreline is ever-increasing, with current demand for public access to the lake exceeding supply (1). The same is true for land recreation, with private ownership totalling over 90 percent of Illinois’ available land cover (2).

Illinois is a hotbed for invasive species introduction, both intentionally and by accident. From the invasion of zebra and quagga mussels (Dreissena polymorpha and Dreissena rostriformis) in the Great Lakes to the appearance of the exotic gypsy moths (Lymantria dispar), Asian long-horned beetles (Anoplophora glabripennis) and emerald ash borers (Agrilus planipennis) in urban and rural forests, nearly every ecosystem in Illinois has been impacted by invasive species (2).

In total, a minimum of 18 species of plants and animals have been extirpated in Illinois, while 484 additional species have been granted threatened or endangered status by the state as of 2011 (1). Many populations of migratory birds that historically depended on Illinois habitat as part of the Mississippi Flyway are experiencing population ‘sinks’. This means that their populations have not been growing naturally through the healthy production of offspring, but are instead being sustained through the recruitment of individuals from forests outside of Illinois (3). Illinois faces similar challenges to amphibian biodiversity loss, with populations across the state steadily decreasing (2).

Conservation

A diverse assortment of land conservancies, conservation strategies and public awareness programmes all play a role in protecting and preserving Illinois’ wildlife and ecosystems. Currently, 128,000 acres in the state are preserved within 10 National Wildlife Refuges (7). The Illinois Department of Natural Resources manages and maintains 324 state parks, natural sites and recreational areas (1). The US Federal government has recognised 18 National Natural Landmarks or conservation sites protected for their incredible biological and geological diversity. Preserved for its high-quality grasslands that cover over 100 acres, the Gensburg-Markham Prairie is both a National Natural Landmark and an example of a successful collaboration between conservation partners, as it is jointly owned by Northeastern Illinois University, The Nature Conservancy and the Natural Land Institute (1)(13).

Another unique land conservation partnership is the co-ownership of the Cretaceous Hills section of Illinois between the US Forest Service and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Found in the south-eastern tip of the state, the Cretaceous Hills are defined by open woodlands and glades that once hosted populations of Bachman’s sparrow (Aimophila aestivalis), extirpated in Illinois since 1980. Bachman’s sparrows have been sighted nesting less than 160 kilometres (100 miles) away from the Cretaceous Hills in western Kentucky. It is hoped that with time, the protection and preservation of this key habitat will facilitate the re-colonisation of Bachman’s sparrow in Illinois (2).

Conservation strategies are key factors in driving vital environmental protection efforts in Illinois. The Illinois Coastal Management Program (ICMP) is targeting resources to the 101 kilometres (63 miles) of Lake Michigan shoreline and addressing multiple conservation issues such as invasive species, environmental toxins and natural area restoration (1). Further to the ICMP, the Illinois Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Plan is a hallmark, multi-partner effort to preserve, protect and restore integral Illinois habitats and wildlife now and for future generations (2).

Engaging the public in conservation efforts through citizen science is a proven method for building support for wildlife causes and for raising public knowledge of environmental issues (14). The state of Illinois is an enthusiastic advocate of the Audubon Christmas Bird Count, a century-old effort to document bird sightings in a single 24-hour period during the month of December (2). Illinois Prairie Week occurs the third full week of September each year, and aims to raise awareness of the value of Illinois prairies through public events and observances (4).

Glossary

Also called an ecological region; a geographical area defined by a distinctive range of ecological factors, such as its climate, soil type, water systems, and plant and animal communities.

Extirpate

The local extinction of a species in a specific geographic location. However, the species may exist elsewhere.

Invasive

Describes species introduced deliberately or unintentionally outside their natural habitats where they have the ability to establish themselves, invade, outcompete natives and take over the new environments.

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Illinois, USA has been profiled with support from individuals living in the state who have demonstrated significant passion for the environment and education. Through their kind help and generosity, we have been able to raise awareness of threatened species and habitats of Illinois, to support their conservation.